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Trust in Government

Trust in government was high just after September 11, 2001, but it has continued to decline since then. And with Web 2.0 and social networking, Americans are placing more value on information from their peers. USA Services tracks trends like this, and strives to improve trust in government.

Edelman Trust Barometer 2007

1/31/2008 | Edelman

In Edelman' largest-ever study on credibility and trust, findings show that trust in business is higher than in media and government across the globe. "In 16 of the 18 countries surveyed, people say that companies are having more of a positive impact on society than a negative one."

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Public Attitudes Toward Government Accountability and Transparency 2008

1/2008 | Association of Government Accountants/Harris Interactive®

In January 2008, the Association of Government Accountants (AGA) commissioned a study by leading market research firm Harris Interactive®, to conduct the first in a series of annual surveys of public attitudes to government transparency and accountability. The objective of this first survey was to establish a baseline understanding of public attitudes, concerning transparency and accountability progress—or the lack of it—which could be tracked annually. A secondary objective was to use the survey findings to raise the profile of this important issue and help to drive understanding of it among policymakers, government employees and the public. The survey findings reveal deep dissatisfaction among the American public with both the availability of government financial information and the way it is delivered to the people. Much of this dissatisfaction has to do with issues of trust and a gap between what the public expects and what is actually delivered. The survey also captured information relating to how the public would use fiscal information, were it provided to them in a usable form
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